Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara, and this story was inspired by the Korean drama "Princess Hours".
Chapter 2
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(7 years ago)
A ten-year-old pinkette sat quietly in one corner as she watched other children playing happily with one another using a language she has yet to comprehend. It was her first day in this foreign country and she did not know anyone at all. Her caretakers were arranging her papers at the nearby school and she was left to interact with the other children.
Slowly, she could feel her eyes begin to water as she started to miss her golden-haired childhood friend. She could just imagine the smile he would offer her during a situation like this.
"Are you new here?"
Amu glanced up when a shadow fell over her. Her eyes met with a pair of bright emerald ones.
"Or are you lost?" The newcomer said, squatting in front of Amu as she sat still. "Or are you not Japanese?" He scratched his head, wondering if he was wrong.
It took a moment before the pinkette realized that she was being spoken to in Japanese. She took in the brown-haired boy in front of her who had a big smile on his face as he looked back at her.
"I'm Japanese." Amu finally answered in a timid voice.
"Great! I heard a few unfamiliar adults talking in Japanese a while ago and guessed we had a newcomer." The boy said in triumph. "How old are you?"
"Ten." She said, putting out all ten fingers in front of her.
The boy laughed. "Oh, I'm 3 years older than you!" He dropped a gentle hand on the pinkette's head as he grinned at her. "Have you made friends already?"
Amu shook her head.
"Then let's go over there!" The boy stood up and pointed towards a group of children who were curiously watching the both of them. "They're my friends. They would be glad to meet you too!" When Amu hesitated, the boy took her hand and gently tugged her with him. "Come on!"
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"Amu-chan!"
Amu's face brightened when she saw the familiar mesh of unruly hair outside her classroom window. It was barely a week since she became good friends with the boy who first talked to her. Knowing that she didn't know anyone in the school, he had taken it upon himself to join her for lunch.
He entered Amu's classroom with ease as if it was his own, the other students were no longer curious with why he was even there in the first place. "My mom packed lunch for the both of us!" He grinned, lifting two containers of food for her to see.
"Eh?" Amu was surprised.
The boy pulled the chair in front of Amu's and sat facing her. "I told her about you and she said that you might start to miss Japanese home-cooked meals." He carefully opened both containers and grinned when he saw Amu's face brighten up at the sight. Both lunch boxes contained carefully arranged soy chicken with sautéed cabbage, tamagoyaki, tomatoes, fresh fruits, and two onigiris on the side.
"She got excited." The boy laughed, seeing the colorful spread.
Amu couldn't help but laugh too, "Souko-sama also loves to make bentos for us." When she realized that she had unconsciously said the name of the Queen, Ikuto's mother, Amu froze.
The boy watched her curiously. She hoped that he wouldn't be able to make the connection. She was warned that she couldn't reveal herself to be the future crown princess of Japan, for fear that it may get her in danger. Although normally one wouldn't make a connection, she couldn't help but let her guard down whenever she was with this boy.
"The mother of my childhood friend." Amu decided to supply. Knowing she couldn't say much, Amu could only give him the basics. At this point, he more or less already had a grasp of the people around her in Japan.
"The mother of the one who always makes you laugh?"
Amu shook her head again. "She's the mother of the grumpy childhood friend."
The boy laughed, having heard of him before. "Him. The one who always makes you cry?"
Amu nodded seriously, stuffing her mouth with the soft tamagoyaki from her share. "Him." She confirmed.
"Maybe he just likes you a lot."
Amu swallowed hard and coughed. She looked at the boy with teary eyes as she continued to cough. The boy laughed again as he passed her a bottle of water.
"Have you ever heard of boys teasing the girls they like?"
"I have," Amu nodded as soon as she was able to take a deep breath, "but it's different with him." She frowned as she remembered the crown prince and his foul mouth. "I barely see him as it is, but whenever we see each other he has nothing nice to say."
The boy nodded as if he knew what Amu was talking about. "Do you tease the girl you like too?" Amu couldn't help but ask.
The boy shrugged. "Maybe." He answered, shovelling more food into his mouth. Amu swore that she could see his cheeks reddening for a moment as he tried to avoid eye contact.
"So this grumpy childhood friend of yours," The boy began, most probably trying to change the subject. "How did you become friends?"
Amu tilted her head slightly as she thought about it. Because we're engaged. She wanted to say. But she knew it wasn't something she should mention. "Our parents are close." She decided to say.
"So you're stuck with him." The boy concluded.
Amu couldn't help but roll her eyes with a nod.
"Aahh!" Amu jumped at the sudden reaction from the boy. He pointed at her as he grinned, "That's a bad habit you have there!" The pinkette's brows furrowed as she wondered what he was talking about. He slowly reached out and poke the center of Amu's forehead. "You roll your eyes a lot." He laughed.
Amu could feel her cheeks warming up at his observation. It seems she had really let her guard down around him if her habit of rolling her eyes came out. She was scolded numerous times by the palace tutors about her habit.
"It's not a bad thing!" The boy quickly explained, guessing that he must have embarrassed the pinkette. "In fact I find it cute!"
Amu's eyes widen at his words. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as he tried to come up with other things to talk about while he showed her his easy-going smile.
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"Is that from your sister?"
"Mn." Amu answered, already knowing who came up from behind her at the playground. She quickly wiped a tear as she looked up from the letter she was holding. She carefully folded the letter as the boy took a seat beside her.
"It's been a year since you last saw her, right?"
Amu nodded. "I miss her a lot. Do you miss your friends in Japan too?"
"I don't remember them." The boy said in a small voice. It was the first time Amu had seen him look nearly down-casted. "I came here when I was five years old, so I don't really remember the people there." He gave her a small smile. "But I do vaguely remember having a playmate I was very fond of."
"What was he like?" Amu asked curiously. It was also the first time he had open more about himself and his life in Japan.
The boy had a deep look on his face as if he was trying hard to remember. "We were the same age, but there was something off about him. He was very serious about everything."
"Then you also have a grumpy childhood friend." Amu concluded.
The boy chuckled, "I guess so." Then he gave a short sigh, "As a child I couldn't understand the gravity of what he was going through, but now I think I understand better."
"Was he going through something?"
"You can say that." The boy answered. "Wherever he is right now, I seriously hope he's doing well."
Amu watched him for a minute longer, before she glanced at the letters on her hands once again.
"There's still an unopened one." The boy noted, seeing a sealed letter on the bench between them. "Hotori Tadase?" Amu jumped as he read off the name, but the boy only chuckled. "He has the same name as Japan's prince. What are the odds. I bet he gets teased a lot."
The pinkette could only laugh nervously, taking the letter carefully away from him.
"Is this one of your childhood friends?" The boy asked.
Amu nodded with a smile. "We write to each other often too. He's the nice childhood friend."
"Then does the grumpy childhood friend send you letters too?"
"No." Amu made a face at the idea of receiving a letter from the Crown Prince. "He doesn't care about me. Not even a bit."
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Amu stood restlessly outside a familiar classroom as she alternately stood on tiptoes and on the balls of her feet. She craned her neck to and fro as she peeked inside the classroom window trying to find someone in particular from the people coming out. She smiled upon seeing a familiar face walking towards her.
"What's up Amu-chan?" The boy grinned as he opened the door to meet her on the hallway, "You rarely come to meet me outside my classroom."
"I'm going home!" She couldn't help but blurt out. "It's been two years and I can finally go home!"
It took a moment before the boy reacted, "That's good news Amu-chan!" He immediately mirrored her excitement.
"Oh? What are you guys talking about?" A friend that Amu got to know in his class said, standing right beside them.
"What's with this happy atmosphere?" Another joined, giving the two friends meaningful glances.
The boy laughed, unaffected by their attempt to tease him and Amu. "Amu-chan's going back to Japan."
"What!?" The friends answered in surprise. They glanced at the pinkette who was nodding happily.
"Poor you." A friend said, swinging his arms around the boy's neck.
"What are you talking about?" The boy laughed easily, grabbing his friend's arm.
The other friend stood beside Amu and pretended to whisper with the others still able to hear what was being said, "He will miss you the most if you go back to Japan."
Amu's eyes widen as she felt her cheeks warming up.
"Amu-chan! Don't listen to them!" The boy immediately let himself loose and grabbed her hand as he tugged her away from the teasing friends. Amu ran along with him, leaving behind the cheerful laughter from the others. She glanced at the hand grabbing her and she knew her face was definitely redder than she can imagine.
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"Are you all packed up?"
Amu nodded sadly as the boy stood in front of her temporary house. In the past two years, they've shared so many memories together that it almost felt wrong to be separated.
"Here." He said, passing a beautifully decorated box towards her. "Some people from your class and some of our friends wrote letters for you, it's something for you to read when you're on the plane."
The pinkette could feel the back of her eyes heating up at the touching gesture from the friends she'd made in the past two years. "Thank you." She murmured. "It will keep me company when I get back to the Palace tom—" Amu froze, realizing another mistake she has made so many times in his presence.
"Amu-chan."
She looked into the deep emerald eyes of the boy who called her name.
"What is it?" He asked.
She could feel his eyes looking into hers searchingly, and she knew what he was trying to ask. For the past two years he's been asking the same question. There were times when she mentioned things she shouldn't have, just like now, and she clumsily tried to brush it off. She's aware that he knows she had something to hide, but he respected her decision to stay quiet.
But this time around, as Amu looked into his eyes, she knew that he deserved the truth at least. The barest of truth.
"I am actually—"
"Amu." The two jumped at the sudden voice that came from inside Amu's house. One of Amu's caretaker who had assumed the role as her "aunt" was watching the two of them with a slightly panicked expression. "It's time to check your things one last time before we leave."
"I—" Amu looked at the boy once again, conflicted with what she had to do.
The boy gave her an encouraging smile as he made a gesture of sending her inside the house. "Your aunt is calling you. I'm sure there will be another chance for us to meet again in the future." He grinned, placing his hand on top of her head affectionately just as he has always done. "Don't be a stranger when that happens."
Amu bit her bottom lip lightly before giving him a nod. I would be the Crown Princess when we meet again. She couldn't help but think painfully.
The least she could do, she told herself, is to be honest about her feelings. The feelings that eventually grew during the time she spent with him. Amu looked at him in the eyes as she tried to harden her resolve. It was not certain that they would be able to meet again in the future. While she can't control her own fate, she can control her feelings.
"Amu-chan," The boy spoke before she could even do so. The hand on top of her head moved, and her heart skipped a beat as the back of his hand brushed against her cheek. "Do you remember the playmate I told you about?"
The question confused her as he suddenly brought up at topic they had once so long ago. She slowly nodded.
The boy chuckled lightly, "For the past two years, I couldn't help but think that you are made for one another."
"Me?" She couldn't help but say, clearly dumbfounded.
The boy gave her a bright smile which somehow made her heart ache. "You're a good match for him. The more I spent time with you, I couldn't help but think that."
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"Amu-sama, it's time to go." Amu's caretaker watch her respond mechanically. The caretaker knew that it had something to do with the boy who had become a close friend to the future crown princess during their stay. Although she didn't want to confirm as much, she knew that the pinkette's feelings for the boy were steadily growing.
"Amu-sama," She carefully kneeled in front of Amu who had yet to move an inch from the couch. She waited patiently until Amu finally met her eyes, "You were about to tell him that you're the betrothed to the Crown Prince, weren't you?"
For the first time in the last few hours, life entered Amu's eyes as she focused onto her caretaker. "I—"
"Amu-sama." The caretaker took Amu's hand with both of hers as she continued to look into Amu's eyes. "I know that the boy means something to you. The times you've invited him over, I've seen how you act around him." She firmly held Amu's hand as Amu tried to pull away. "But Amu-sama, Ikuto-sama is waiting for you."
This time Amu firmly pulled her hand away as she felt a teardrop fall from the corner of her eye. "That's a lie."
Her caretaker patiently wiped the stray tear as she smiled meaningfully. "You can't mean that."
"He only cares about his position as Crown Prince. He doesn't care whether I return to Japan or not."
"Amu-sama, you should know that—"
"Yukari, it's time to move."
Both ladies looked up as a bodyguard entered the room they were in, reminding them of the time. Yukari, Amu's caretaker, adjusted her glasses as she sighed before standing up. She took another glance at the future crown princess before murmuring to herself, "You have no idea how much the Crown Prince cherishes you."
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Amu took one last glance at the house she had spent two years in. "Goodbye." She murmured to herself.
She could feel her heart clenching tightly as she remembered the last words exchanged between her and the boy she came to like. In the end, she couldn't tell him her feelings. He never saw me. She didn't know how to recover from the shock when he told her that she suited someone else. If it weren't for her caretaker, who had finally gone to them to take her inside, Amu wouldn't have been able to move an inch.
Amu was about to turn away towards the car when something gleaming caught the corner of her eye from the front steps of the house.
"Amu-sama?" Yukari called, seeing the future Crown Princess walking back towards the house.
Amu ignored her caretaker's call as she slowly walked closer towards the gleaming object, unsure if it was just her imagination. Eventually, she saw a small glass box sitting at the corner of the steps. She could feel her heart racing for some inexplainable reason as she took the square box.
A small folded note fell on the ground and Amu picked it up. When she unfolded it, a rushed handwriting greeted her with the words: I'll see you soon.
The boy's bright smile immediately flashed into Amu's mind. She looked at the glass box and saw a small clover-shaped lock encrusted with brilliant little stones held together by a shiny golden mold. Her eyes widen as she took in the delicate object. She tried to open the glass box, but was unable to figure out how to do so.
Suddenly, the box was plucked out of her hands and Amu jumped in surprise. Yukari gave her a smile as she showed the future Crown Princess how to open it. "You twist the top and the bottom like this," She showed her as the box finally opened.
Amu was speechless as she finally had a good look at what was inside, she didn't even bother to ask her caretaker how she knew the workings of the glass box. Her caretaker carefully took the lock and Amu realized that it was actually the pendant of a necklace. "Here," Yukari said in a gentle voice as she placed the necklace around Amu's neck.
"Sanjo-san..." Amu choked, still unable to form coherent words. Her heart was running a marathon in her chest as she thought of the boy who she might never see again.
"It suits you, Crown Princess."
At her caretaker's words, Amu didn't know whether her heart would break or beat once again. She had something to remember the boy by, yet she also had to remember who she is.
She looked at the lock pendant that now hangs around her neck and softly murmured the boy's name, "Kukai-kun."
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"Onee-chan?"
Amu was jolted back to the present when she heard someone call her by the door of her bedroom. She realized that she had been standing motionlessly outside her veranda, lost in her memory, ever since the Crown Prince had left. Upon remembering the Crown Prince, Amu could feel her heart clenching. How did he know?
"Onee-chan, are you alright?"
Amu finally looked back to see her younger sister slowly entering her room, a curious expression on her face. "Ami," she acknowledged, walking inside her room where her thirteen-year-old little sister stood, momentarily forgetting about the crown prince.
"You didn't come down when we came home, so we thought you might be sleeping. Instead I find you spaced out on the balcony." Ami smiled, sitting on her older sister's bed. "So! Did Ikuto-onii-sama come by?" She suddenly asked excitedly.
Amu's brows furrowed immediately at the mention of the crown prince. "Why are you asking about him?"
"He did! Didn't he?" Ami laughed knowingly. No one could spoil her sister's mood as well as the crown prince. She was about to ask her sister what happened during the crown prince's visit when she noticed Amu unconsciously touching the pendant of her necklace. "You really cherish that, don't you?" Ami couldn't help but observe.
Amu looked down at her hand as she let go of the Lock. She gave her little sister a small smile as she answered, "It's all I have to remember him by." She joined Ami on the bed.
"It's kind of cliche isn't it?" Ami smiled as she carefully watched her sister's expression. "He might have the key counterpart of that lock." And just as Ami expected, her older sister began to blush. She couldn't help but laugh again. "He should come here to Japan and take you away from Ikuto-onii-sama." She teased.
Amu could only shake her head as she nudged her younger sister's shoulder with her own. "You know that's impossible. Besides, he doesn't see me that way."
"But you're still holding onto him." Ami said softly, touching her sister's hand.
Amu gave her sister a tired smile, "He's my first love."
"Onee-chan," Ami said timidly, "Why don't you give Ikuto-onii-sama a chance?"
Amu looked at her sister as if she was crazy, and Ami couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Aside from the fact that you two are always at each other's necks, the both of you actually look good together."
Amu shook her head as she stood up from the bed, she looked at her younger sister with a sigh. "That clearly says that we don't get along!"
"But his expressions say otherwise." Ami murmured. Amu tilted her head, not catching whatever the younger Hinamori had said. Ami looked at her sister and smiled, "Well, you have to get along soon anyway, you're about to stay under the same roof!"
"The dread." Amu groaned with a roll of her eyes.
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(8 years ago)
A twelve-year-old Ikuto glanced at the gardens as his third tutor finally ended his lessons. He walked towards his room's balcony which overlooked the garden. Eventually, he smiled when he spotted his two childhood friends. He still had another lesson to attend to, but if he were to escape and return...He eyed a sturdy tree not far from his balcony.
As he thought about it, a high pitched laughter caught his ears and Ikuto looked down below. His pink-haired childhood friend was laughing at something and he had the urge to join them immediately to know what made her laugh.
"Ikuto-kun?"
Ikuto jumped as someone suddenly spoke behind him as if to disrupt his plan effectively. As he turned around, he saw his mother's smiling face by his bedroom entrance.
"Mother. I'm sorry. I didn't hear you enter." Ikuto immediately spoke, letting go of the railings he had unconsciously held in his attempt to escape.
Souko, the Queen, giggled. She already had a feeling of what her son was about to do. For a brief moment, she felt sad for her son who could not properly enjoy his childhood like the rest of those his age. She stood beside her son and smiled when she spotted Amu and Tadase down below.
"Ikuto-kun," Souko said, "What do you think of Amu-chan?" She tried to hide a smile as she saw her son's face instantly turn bright red.
"S-She's the future crown princess."
"And?"
The young crown prince looked at his mother exasperatedly, figuring out that she was probably teasing him.
Souko finally laughed as she stroke her adorable son's cheek affectionately. "Let's go inside, I have something I want to give you."
Ikuto followed his mother who took a seat on the couch placed in the middle of his room. He carefully sat beside her mother who waved him towards her side. Souko seemed to give her son an encouraging smile as she placed two small objects on both her son's hands.
As soon as Ikuto realized that they were glass boxes on his hands, his eyes widen as he looked at his mother.
"Since I think it's almost time," Souko couldn't suppress as smile as she remembered her son looking at the girl who was three years younger than him, "I think you should have it."
She opened the glass boxes and showed the contents to her son. Ikuto glanced at his mother then to the boxes, already knowing what they were. It was part of the Royal Treasure which was passed down every generation.
"Mother," Ikuto began, not really sure where to begin as he looked at the two golden pendants, a key and a lock, which had a clover shaped design made from diamonds.
He was taught that they were called the Humpty Dumpty Pair— the Humpty Lock and the Dumpty Key. The Humpty Lock was always owned by the lady. He was told that his father had given the Humpty Lock to his mother during their youth, and it was a sign and a symbol of their promise to be together.
"You should give it to the girl who lies in your heart." Souko said, holding up the Humpty Lock.
"I don't have that person."
Souko giggled as she looked at her son teasingly, "Then what about Amu-chan? I see you watching her quite often."
Having been caught unexpectedly, Ikuto blushed once again. "That— It's not that I've taken an interest." He tried deny, composing himself once again.
"Ikuto-kun." Souko was about to chide her son, but he looked at her with a serious expression.
"Will I be able to make her happy?" The crown prince asked in a small voice. The question came unexpectedly and the Queen could only sigh at his mature question. "I barely know her as it is. Tadase knows her more than I do."
Souko was loss for words as she knew he was right. Even though Amu was to be engaged to her son, Ikuto didn't have the time to actually get to know the girl personally. His childhood was robbed away from him because of his duties as the Crown Prince and the future King of their country.
"If only you took after Aruto a bit more." Souko murmured, referring to the current King.
She could still vividly remember how the current King always escaped his private lessons in order to see her. He always gave his tutors and attendants a hard time with his whims. But because of those whims of his, he enjoyed life. While she could feel that her son had those childish and notorious tendencies, just as she assumed a while ago, he eventually suppresses those urge.
"Then, when you feel certain that you can make her happy, give this to her." Souko said in a soft voice. Seeing that her son was about to protest, Souko continued, "Maybe it might not be Amu-chan in the future, but you'll just know it." She stroked her son's midnight blue locks which were so similar to her husband's. "She'll be the person you always want to stay by your side. She's the one person who will accept you for who you are."
"I don't plan to pretend to be someone I'm not." The young prince said, looking at his mother curiously.
Souko nodded, knowing that he has yet to understand. "Ikuto-kun. Not everyone around you are people you can trust. The most precious treasure a king could have in this world is a true friend."
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The present 20-year-old Ikuto opened his eyes slowly as the sunlight coming from his windows woke him up. He pushed his comforter down as he brushed his bangs back from his face. He looked around his room and sighed as he remembered the dream he just had. Feeling the cold metal against his naked chest, Ikuto brought his hand onto the Dumpty Key which had been around his neck ever since he gave the other Pair to that important person.
He recalled what his mother had said about finding someone who will accept him as who he is. He had understood that meaning not long after as he started getting involved with politics. He had been through so much betrayal from people he thought were his friends and allies. He also learned that there were people trying to kiss his feet just because he was going to be the next king.
He laughed shortly upon remembering Amu's attitude towards him last night. Yup, she was definitely a person who didn't care whether he was the next king or not.
"Ikuto-sama." A knock came from his door. "The King is calling for you."
Ikuto groaned as he flipped his blanket completely away from his half-naked body. "Alright, I'm getting ready." He half-shouted.
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"Care to explain?" Aruto, whose face is the exactly the same as his son, grinned widely as he spread out several photographs and documents in front of his desk.
"What are you going on about so early in the morning." The crown prince groaned, yawning as he stepped up to the King's desk.
Aruto looked at his son with an amused smile strewn across his face. He laughed shortly. "I thought you made it clear to me that you're not interested your future Crown Princess? You even tried to push back the Royal Announcement."
Ikuto raised a brow, wondering what his father was going on about. He finally took a document off of his father's desk. His eyes widen when he realized what it was all about.
"Did you think I would not notice when you dispatch practically half of your bodyguards to protect someone else?" Aruto finally sat back on his chair and casually lifted his legs on top of the desk. "And you even had her every movement watched ever since she returned from the States."
Aruto watched his son glance at the photos and documents in silence. He couldn't help but chuckle as he said, "Why don't we rush the wedding then? If you two get married, you wouldn't need to go through so much trouble. We can also start assigning her personal bodyguards."
"Mind your own business old man." Ikuto grumbled as he tossed the photos back onto the desk. Without another word, he turned around to leave the King's study.
As soon as he opened the door, he almost ran onto the Queen. "Oh dear, are you two finished already?" She asked, seeing that her son was about to leave.
"Mother." Ikuto gave a small bow, "I will take my leave now."
Souko watched as her son hurriedly left the study. She glanced at the King who had an amused expression on his face. "Now what did you do this time, dear?" She asked, closing the door behind her as she entered the room.
The king shrugged as if he had nothing to do with it at all.
Souko sighed as she saw what was scattered across her husband's desk. "You know he hates it if you investigate him behind his back."
"It was a harmless yet informative investigation, I'll have you know." Aruto chuckled, finally putting his legs down. "I suggested we move up the date of the wedding. I don't understand why he's against it, when clearly, he cares for the child." He glanced at a photo of the pinkette.
"You should understand," Souko said in a soft tone, "that he is being considerate of Tadase-kun's feelings."
Aruto scoffed as if he could care less about his nephew's feelings. "He already knew from the start that Hinamori Amu is Ikuto's betrothed. It's his loss for falling in love with her. He's lucky that the media has yet to write up an article about his unusual closeness to the girl."
"Dear, they're childhood friends."
"And if they learn that the girl is the future Crown Princess..." Aruto trailed off, knowing that his wife knew where his train of thought were headed. "The media would love to write a sensational love triangle."
Souko could only swallow and nod at her husband's highly likely precise predictions.
"That kid," Aruto shook his head as he sighed deeply, "A person like him, would he really be fit to be the next King?"
Her wife finally smiled as she answered. "The Crown Prince is more qualified compared to when you were still the Crown Prince. Your father struggled so much to groom you."
Aruto laughed, "Yes, that's true." He pushed his chair away from the desk as he coaxed his wife towards him. "I loved to run wild, who would've thought that I would be tamed?" He looked at his wife and life-long friend as she sat on his lap. "Our son is trying to be a hero when clearly, that is not what is needed." He glanced at his desk.
Souko followed his glance and sighed too. "Should we should announce their engagement to the public soon?"
"That might be for the best." He randomly picked up a photograph of the future crown princess, and something immediately caught his eye. He took the photo close to his face before giving a short laugh.
"What is it dear?" Souko asked, looking at the photo on his hand. As far as she can see, there was nothing out of the ordinary. It was simply a close-up of Amu walking towards school.
"Souko."
"Hmn?"
"When did you give the kid the Humpty Dumpty Pair?"
"Eh?" Souko said in surprise at the sudden mention of the Humpty Dumpty Pair.
Aruto laughed again as he wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and pointed at something in particular on the photo. Peeking out of Amu's school jacket, a golden chain and a small lock which sparkled under the sunlight could be seen on her.
"The Humpty Lock?" Aruto inquired.
Souko laughed quietly. "I might have given Ikuto-kun the pair around the time before Amu-chan left." Souko said with a smile.
"I thought they don't get along? Now why would she wear a jewelry from someone she doesn't get along with?"
"I'm as curious as you are dear," Souko laughed again, watching her husband's expression fill up with curiosity.
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The Crown Prince silently closed the door to his bedroom. He walked across the room to stand in front of his own desk as he tossed a photo he had sneakily stolen from his father's pile. On the photograph, the Humpty Lock around Amu's neck was also unmistakeable.
"Does that idiot even know what that meant?"
If it weren't for that photo, he didn't even know that Amu had been wearing the Humpty Lock.
He sighed as he remembered the event five years ago. He wasn't certain whether she would keep it or not. After all, he had just left it suspiciously in front of her house with a note that may as well be from a stalker.
Seeing her wear that necklace, he couldn't deny that it made him a little bit happy regardless of the fact that she might not have been aware of what it meant. "I bet she doesn't even know that there is a Key counterpart for it." He caught himself thinking of ways tease her about it once their engagement was made official.
He touched the pendant around his neck, suddenly feeling lightheaded with happiness. He chuckled as he caught himself.
"You're being pathetic Ikuto." He couldn't help but tell himself out loud.
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